Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

Anūcāna (True Learning), the Vedāṅgas, and Śikṣā: Svara, Sāmavedic Chant, and Gandharva Theory

Devanagari script

यदि पंचमो विरमते गांधारश्चांतरस्वरो भवति । ऋषभो निषादसहितस्तं पंचममीदृशं विद्यात् ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

yadi paṃcamo viramate gāṃdhāraścāṃtarasvaro bhavati | ṛṣabho niṣādasahitastaṃ paṃcamamīdṛśaṃ vidyāt || 52 ||

Translation

Wenn der Pañcama (der fünfte Ton) nicht erklingt, wird Gāndhāra zum Zwischenton; und Ṛṣabha ist zusammen mit Niṣāda in dieser Weise als Pañcama zu verstehen.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• paṃcamaḥ: the fifth (note)
• paṃcamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃcama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• viramate: ceases/stops
• viramate: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ram (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• gāṃdhāraḥ: Gāndhāra (note)
• gāṃdhāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāṃdhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• aṃtarasvaraḥ: the intermediate tone
• aṃtarasvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃtara-svara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अन्तरस्य स्वरः = intermediate tone)

• bhavati: becomes/is
• bhavati: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ṛṣabhaḥ: Ṛṣabha (note)
• ṛṣabhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• niṣāda-sahitaḥ: accompanied by Niṣāda
• niṣāda-sahitaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण of ṛṣabhaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣāda (प्रातिपदिक) + sahita (कृदन्त; √sah/सह्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (निषादेन सहितः = accompanied by Niṣāda)

• tam: that (one)
• tam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• paṃcamam: the fifth (note)
• paṃcamam: Karma (कर्म; object-complement with tam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃcama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• īdṛśam: such/like this
• īdṛśam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of paṃcamam)

• vidyāt: should know/recognize
• vidyāt: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical Vedanga/Shiksha context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gandhara
• Rishabha
• Nishada
• Panchama

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It highlights the Purana’s Vedanga emphasis that correct understanding of sound (svara/nāda) supports accurate mantra-intonation, which in turn steadies the mind and aids dharma and inner clarity.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Indirectly: bhakti practices rely on śabda—kīrtana, stotra, and mantra. This verse reinforces that disciplined knowledge of pitch/intonation safeguards devotional recitation from distortion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics/intonation): it explains functional substitution/recognition of a note (Pañcama) through related notes and an intermediate pitch (antara-svara), useful for precise chanting and musical-ritual performance.